Tongs.



C. PORTEOUS.

TONGS.

APPLICATION man MAR. 27. 1915.

Patented May 16, 1916.

WWFILHI CHARLES PORTEOUS, OF MONTREAL, QUEBEC, CANADA.

TONGS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

, Tjatented May i6, MMG.

Application filed March 27, 1915. `Serial No. 17,508.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES PoR'rnoUs, of the city of Montreal, in the Province of Quebec, Dominion of Canada, clerk, have invented certain new and useful Tmprovemi-ints in Tongs; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same.

My invention relates to ice tongs for lifting and carrying iceblocks and more particularly the small blocks usually delivered 'for domestic, hotel and restaurant use, al though other blocks of other substance than ice and requiring two or more men to lift them may also be handled with my iinproved tongs.

The invention may be said, briefly, to consist of tongs comprising a pair of gripping jaws, a handle, and links connecting the handle to the jaws, the distance between the pivot points of one link and the distance between the pivot points of the other link being different, and one, an integral part of the handle, while the vother is pivotally connected therewith; the particular arrangement of the parts being such that the user may with one hand cause the jaws to` grip a block of ice or other substance when. the tension exerted upon the links by the weight of the block will cause the jaws to tirmly grip the latter and enable the user to carry or transport the same without danger of it falling from the tongs. For full comprehension., however, of my invention, reference must be had to the accompanying drawings in which similar reference characters indicate the same parts and wherein:

Figure l is a side elevation of my improved tongs. Fig. 2 is an edge view. Fig. 3 is an edge view illustrating the aws opened.

My invention is illustrated applied to ice tongs in which the jaws are indicated at b and o. They are pivoted together a short distance from their butts as at 7c and spaced apart by a pair of washers cl. The butt of one is pivoted as at e to a shank 7 having a handle g at one end and its opposite end cut away to present a stop h adapted to engage the pivot pin 7c and limit the relative pivotal movement between the jaw c and the handle. The jaw Z9 is pivotally connected by a link m to the shank f close to the handle, as at a, this link being longer than the distance between the pivot points e and n upon the shank, such portion of the shank constituting a rigid link forming an integral part of the handle; A pair ot washers 79 space the link m trom the shank.

Tith the particular construction and arrangement of parts above described a pair of tongs is produced by which the user may litt and carry a piece of ice with one hand and when the ice is gripped may be carried about without danger of it falling from ythe jaws. In order to pick up a block of ice they are lifted; and as the tension of the lifting action is exerted on the jaws their points are immediately brought into engagement with the sides of the block, and as the tension continues they are driven into the same and the block is thereby lifted with the tongs, the weight of which has the ef- 4feet of increasing the grip of the jaws,

When the block of ice is to be deposited, the user puts it in place, then cants the handle toward the jaw c, as indicated by the dotted lines Fig, l, which has the effect of opening the jaws and releasing the block.

The stop permits the user to lift the tongs with the jaws closed it desired by holding them in the position rst mentioned, with the jaw o uppermost, but if desired by reversing the tongs they will be opened to full extent.

The fact that the distance between the pivot points of the link m is greater than the distance between the pivot points of the link f enables the jaws to open to maximum eX- tent and come into alinement one with the other. This diierence also causes the jaws o, when the jaws are closed, to project at right angles to the handle and the jaw o to extend at right angles thereto. Tn this latter connection it may be explained that to pick up a block the jaw c is rested on the ground in close proximity to the block and the point of jaw b over the top thereof. The tongs are then rocked in the direction of the block until the point of jaw ZJ engages the opposite side thereof, the rounded end of o permitting of this rocking. Vtith both points in engagement with opposite sides of the block the latter may be lifted and the hold increases in proportion to the weight lifted. Another advantage is that the block cannot be thrown from the tongs but must be rested on something and the same operation performed to release it as for picking it up.

Although I have illustrated my tongs with a handle it is to be understood that other lifting means may be employed without departing from the spirit of my invention.

lVhat I claim is as follows l. Tongs comprising the combination with means whereby the tongs may be lifted, of a pair of jaws pivotally connected together by means of a pin having one end projecting', a pair Ot' links connecting the jaws to the lifting means, the distance between the pivot points of one link being less than the distance between the pivot points of the other link and means for limiting the relative pivotal movement of the jaws in one direction consisting of a. proj ective stop upon the rigid link and arranged to engage the projecting end of the pivot pin.

Q Tongs comprising pivoted jaws, a handle having an integral shank7 means pivoting the free end of the shank to the butt of one Of the jaws, and a link pivotally connected at One end of the inner end of the shank and at its other end to the butt Of the other jaw, the distance between the pivot points of the link means limiting the relative movement of the jaws, link and handle.

3. Tongs comprising pivoted jaws, a handle having an integral shank with an offset point, means pivoting the free end of the shank tol the butt of one of the jaws, and a link pivotally connected at one end to the inner end of the shank at .its other end to the butt of the other jaw, the jaws, links and handle being constructed and arranged tO have the Offset point engage the device pivoting the jaws together.

si.. Tongs comprising pivoted jaws, a handle having an integral shank, means pivoting the free end of the shank to the butt of one of the jaws, anda link pivotally connected at one end `to the inner end of the shank and at its other end to the butt Of the other' jaw, means limiting the relative movement of the jaws, links and handle.4

5. Tongs comprising pivot jaws, a handle having an integral shank, the free end of such shank being elongated; means pivoting the shank near its free end to the butt of one Ol" the jaws; a link pivotally connected at one end to the inner end of the shank and at its other end to the butt` of the .other j aw, the jaws, links and handle being constructed and arranged to have the elongated end of the shank engage the device pivoting the jaws together.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES PORTEOUS.

Witnesses Y GORDON G. COOKE, WILLIAM HEWETSON.

Gop'ies of this patent may' be obtained for ve cents each', by addressing' the Gommiss'ioner of Patents'. Washington', D. iff" 

